SCARLETTE'S POINT OF VIEW
After that incident, the principal decided to send me and Rhode home for us to get over our trauma (as if we had). Rhode was crying when we entered the main office but based on how she looked at me, she was just acting. Oh, what a victim.
I just sat on my study table and stared at my reflection in the mirror. When I saw the mirror's circular frame, I remembered again what happened earlier.
Every detail was clear to me so I concluded to myself that I was not hallucinating. The ring of fire that became bigger . . . The whisper in the middle of noises . . . The fire that slowly faded did not leave any burned marks on the grass field after I followed the instructions of the whisper.
'Get yourself relaxed and the fire will be gone. Trust me.' Those were the exact words I heard. When I did it, it disappeared. The fire slowly faded. "How did it happen?" I asked myself. That was weird.
I came back to reality when I heard my phone ring. I stared at it first as it vibrated on my table. It was Aunt Cecilia calling. "Hello, Aunt. Why did you—"
"You, stupid niece! You nearly got barbecued!" I automatically flinched because of that. Sounded like it could break my eardrums. "Aunt, do not shout, please? Do you want me to get deaf now?" I asked while frowning. "Of course, not."
After a few seconds, she sobbed and sobbed. "You, stupid kid. You are giving me a heart attack."
My eyes widened upon hearing that. "Do you have heart disease?!"
"Stupid kid, none."
"Then why am I giving you a heart attack? You told me that you did not have any heart disease."
"Stupid, it is idiomatic!" I flinched once again. "How did you know what happened to me?"
"Your principal sent me a video. Probably, a security camera's record." That is it! "Aunt, send me that video. I need to confirm something. Thanks!"
I was about to end the call when some words flashed in my mind. "And oh, do not worry about me, Aunt. I'm not that weak anymore. See? I did not get a trauma from that disaster!"
"But still, be careful," she reminded me in a calm voice. "Yes, Aunt!" I finally ended the conversation.
A few minutes later, I already received the video. I quickly watched it.
The angle of the security camera was exactly in place. Every detail of what happened was quite shown – from how it appeared until it was gone.
The fire faded not because of the water. It was just gone like there was nothing happened. If it was blown by the wind, I should have felt it but I did not, and based on the movement of the fire, the air was calm. The ring of fire was perfectly circular, too, and I was right, no burned marks left.
Confirmed! I did not hallucinate! "But . . . how did it happen?" I asked, curiosity still haunting me. Uh, this is getting weirder and weirder.
I called Aunt to asked something. "Aunt, did you notice some weird things in the video?"
"Yes. The whole video itself. Your principal said that maybe, there was a bug in the security camera system." So, there was still a possibility that I was daydreaming. I tapped the end call button.
I wore my slippers and ran to school. I was about to pass through the gate when the guard stopped me. "Hey! The principal told me that—"
"I know but I want to see the soccer field."
"And why?" His both eyebrows raised. I tried to think of a reason and fortunately, I remembered what my classmates talked about yesterday. "I want to watch the football game."
"You can watch it live on the school's website." Stupid me. I forgot about that. "Um . . . " I tried to think another, "but . . . I want to watch it personally because . . . " An idea came into my brain but it sounded so . . . embarrassing. The guard looked at me intently. "Because?" All right. Only this once. "Because I want to congratulate my crush personally when he and his team won!" I screamed.
That made him laugh as he opened the gate. "Okay. You may enter now. You are funny, huh?" I mentally rolled my eyes as I went inside. How annoying!
Screams and cheers from the audience welcomed me when I reached the field. The game started but I was not interested in watching it. I just made an excuse to hide the real reason why I came here.
Of course, when the guard knew about it, probably, he would call the principal and if the principal knew, she would tell to the guard not to allow me because what she knew about me was the idea that I got traumatized even though I was not.
Many students were watching. I had no choice but to go to the highest part of the bleachers for me to see where the fire appeared.
When I finally reached the highest part and got a better view of the field, my jaw dropped. There was a big burned mark and it was not a perfect circle!
I brought out my phone and watched the video for the second time. My jaw dropped again in shock.
A male student poured gasoline around me and Rhode while we were exchanging glares and dropped a lighter. That caused the fire. Then the flame had gone because of the water that the students and teachers brought. 'What the . . . '
I turned off my phone but I also turned it on to call Aunt Cecilia. "Hello, Aunt. I want to ask this again so do not be mad at me, okay?" I pressed my eyes close and asked, "Did you notice some weird things in the video?" To my surprise, she replied differently from earlier, "No. The whole video itself is not weird. Why?" How? "N-none." I ended the call with my widened eyes.
Stupid me. I hallucinated . . . I hallucinated until the part that I called Aunt when I was at home earlier before I got here. Damn! What was happening to me?!
"Hey!" I felt someone sit on my right side.
"Hey!" I greeted back Asher who was not also wearing a school uniform like me. "You are sick, right? Why did you come here?" I asked as I tried to act normal.
"I want to watch the game," he answered, his eyes were fixed on the soccer field. "I do not want to watch it online."
I nodded my head as I stood up. "See you late—" He held my hand and pulled me to sit again as if telling me to wait. His hands were so warm. The fever has not yet subsided. He turned his face to me while smiling, leading me to be confused. "What?" I attempted to pull my hand away but his hold tightened. My gaze shifted to him. He was looking at me with a plastered smile on his face.
"Do you have any important things to do?" I replied, unsure, "Nothing? Why?" He returned his sight on the field. "Wait for me. Let us watch this game together. Is it fine with you?"
Somebody sat on my left side and accidentally pushed me to Asher. So, as a result, my right arm touched his left arm. He flinched and I saw how pain registered on his face in a few seconds.
"My apologies," I uttered. He chuckled. "Apologies for what? Apologies for being heavy?" he teased. I refused to admit it but I nodded my head. It is the fact so what can I do? "Apology, accepted but," he gave me a meaningful look, "will you please stay with me until this game is finished?"
Maybe, this can help me forget my hallucinations so, "Of course." And I cannot leave my partner alone knowing that he is sick. Well, let me take it to him as back payment for lifting me.